U.S. patent application 2010/0181180 A1 shows a method and an apparatus for determining a capacitance and/or a change in capacitance of a capacitive sensor element, in which an internal capacitor of a microprocessor is used to measure the capacitance. In this case, the internal capacitor is first of all charged and the capacitive sensor element is discharged. The internal capacitor and the capacitive sensor element are then connected to one another, the voltage established across the internal capacitor being evaluated in order to determine the capacitance and/or the change in capacitance. Alternatively, the internal capacitor is first of all discharged and the capacitive sensor element is charged.